Third Wheel
by Cheeseburger of Doom
Summary: Akazawa does everything Mizuki tells him to out of habit, even if it means sacrficing what he really wants.


A/N: Mizuki is not nice in this story. I have nothing against Mizuki, it's just that my plot bunnies tend to have him as either a joke or a villain.

Third Wheel

Akazawa was beginning to hate Mizuki Hajime, whereas before he had tolerated his presence, and maybe even liked him a little. Mizuki had a tendency to be a slimy kind of guy, but he was always good to his team (well, good in the sense that he would do anything for them to win, even if he had to stoop as low as injuring Yuuta, but that wasn't the point of this exercise).

Akazawa didn't even have a problem with the fact that Mizuki was dating (or whatever the term was in this case) another guy; what frustrated Akazawa was the fact that Mizuki insisted on flaunting it. He made a point of mentioning Kajimoto as often as he could in a conversation. He only did that around Akazawa, though, because Akazawa was the only one who knew at this point.

Akazawa was also sick of being dragged along with Mizuki on his dates. Mizuki had assured him that his presence would no longer be required once Kajimoto was really his. Akazawa was necessary to trick Kajimoto into going out with Mizuki, because as the third wheel, he assured that it was a "group outing" rather than something more sinister and suspicious.

Akazawa hated being used, but every time Mizuki demanded his services, he agreed like a brainless fool. He was used to following Mizuki's orders and going along with his plans - though it was usually tennis that Mizuki concerned himself with.

He had a feeling that if he tried to refuse, Mizuki would find a way to make him come anyway. Akazawa had a handful of excuses like this to agree to the outings; the real truth was much simpler, though it pained him to admit to it - he enjoyed Kajimoto's company.

Kajimoto was somewhat quiet, but when he spoke up it was worth listening to. He made Akazawa feel comfortable, as if they had always been friends; even with Mizuki present, being as sly and smirking as he was, Akazawa didn't feel out of place. Of course it didn't hurt that Kajimoto was easy on the eyes. Not that Akazawa was looking of course; he never looked, he only saw.

Akazawa's hatred of Mizuki was rising with every moment that Mizuki paced back and forth, and it almost made him sick when Mizuki turned to look at him in passing; Akazawa couldn't help but feel like some kind of freak on display for the world to laugh at.

"Why did you ask to talk to me?" It was probably too much to hope for, that this little meeting was about tennis. Mizuki didn't ask to speak to him alone if it was about tennis, he preferred to speak loudly and clearly to him in front of the team; enjoyed watching Akazawa agree to all of his methods. He enjoyed watching Akazawa squirm if he didn't like the methods, and liked to watch him agree to it anyway; that was probably his favorite part of the whole affair. Sometimes Akazawa thought that Mizuki chose to do what he did just to make Akazawa uncomfortable - but his plans usually worked, at least somewhat, and whenever they won, it was because of him. Besides, for him to enjoy Akazawa's torment that much it would mean that he actually thought and planned how to frustrate him, rather than doing it spontaneously; that would mean that he saw Akazawa as more than just a stepping stone, or useful object in his ploy to get the guy.

Mizuki's pacing ceased, and he directed his smirk in Akazawa's direction. He couldn't decide if this was an improvement or not; at least he'd stopped moving, but now Akazawa had to face that expression constantly, for as long as this conversation took. Mizuki enjoyed dragging things out, sometimes; he hoped this wouldn't be one of those times.

"Tonight is it," Mizuki finally said. "I won't need you after this."

The sinking in Akazawa's stomach was purely relief. He didn't want to be Mizuki's pawn anymore, never mind that it meant not seeing Kajimoto anymore; that it meant Kajimoto would be Mizuki's newest conquest, and would belong to Mizuki like so many other things, and that Akazawa would never - "I see."

"I've worked this out perfectly. After tonight, I won't have to trick him anymore." The evil glint in Mizuki's eye made Akazawa feel very ill indeed. His lunch must not have agreed with him, or perhaps it simply did not agree with Mizuki; that made a surprising amount of sense, and he probably shouldn't have bothered thinking about it.

Akazawa didn't bother to mention that he shouldn't have been tricking Kajimoto in the first place. He could have asked him straight out, would you like to go out with me? Or even, would you like to be mine? Kajimoto was a straightforward person, and would have answered honestly; and if Mizuki was so sure of his charm, he shouldn't have been afraid of rejection, should he? This way there was no fear of it, but it was dirty, and Akazawa felt dirty for having been a part of it.

"I see," Akazawa said once again. He wanted to get out of there and go to sleep; he wanted to miss the outing of that evening, but he knew that if he was at all late, Mizuki would show up at his door and drag him along anyway. Akazawa wished that he didn't live in a dorm room; wished that he lived alone in a huge mansion, where he could rattle around by himself and never have to worry about Mizuki Hajime or his schemes again.

"Are you jealous?" Mizuki asked, and his smirk grew wider, if that was even possible. Akazawa could have answered honestly and said yes, I'm very jealous Mizuki, but not of Kajimoto. Would Mizuki even believe that Akazawa wasn't attracted to him? After all, the evidence seemed to show otherwise; Akazawa always agreed to Mizuki's whims after all - only because it was impossible to refuse, but Mizuki wouldn't believe that. Mizuki heard what he wanted to hear, and no less.

"Don't worry, buchou," Mizuki said. "You'll get over it."

Akazawa didn't know if he would ever overcome the anger that was threatening to surface at that moment; it boiled in his blood and made him want to do stupid things. He managed to suppress it, and left Mizuki behind without another word. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth to speak, he would instead close it once again and then beat Mizuki to a bloody pulp.

Akazawa was tired of this game. At least after tonight he wouldn't have to play anymore, even if that knowledge left him with an empty feeling.

When Akazawa stared at the ceiling of his room, he thought he could envision a way to escape everything that he'd ever hated; but that was nonsense, because the ceiling was still there, and he was still closed in, the same as always.

"Hello, Akazawa," Kajimoto greeted. He always nodded when he said hello. Akazawa nodded back, and greeted him in return.

"Kajimoto."

Mizuki smiled at both of them, a smile that only Mizuki was capable of; one that sent shivers down Akazawa's spine. Mizuki had been able to do that to him since junior high, and that was probably why Akazawa had thought then that he had fallen for him; that was why he had thought then that he would have to follow Mizuki's orders forever. They were in college now, and they still played tennis together; Mizuki still ordered him around, and he still followed like a lost puppy, even though he knew better. He was still one of Mizuki's puppets, even though Mizuki had long ago discarded him in favor of someone else. There was a growing list of people that Mizuki had used and abused; Yuuta was at the very top of it.

At least Yuuta had escaped when he'd had the chance.

Akazawa sat through the movie with a stiff back, and stared at the screen without really seeing it. He was painfully aware of Kajimoto on his left, and even more painfully aware of Mizuki to Kajimoto's left. He was practically purring, and Akazawa wondered why no one else in the theater seemed to notice, not even Kajimoto, who watched the movie with a back almost as stiff as Akazawa's own.

When the movie finished, they went to the nearest bar. Akazawa was of half a mind to get very, very drunk; that wouldn't have been very pleasant in the morning when he had to go to class, though, so he thought better of it. He stared into a glass of some sort of liquor that Mizuki had ordered for all of them, wondering when he would be able to make his escape.

"Akazawa, why don't you get this round?" Mizuki asked, sweetly. Somehow Akazawa always ended up paying for these dates, even though it was Mizuki's idea that he came; even though Mizuki really didn't want anything to do with him anymore, and hadn't for so long - "Fine," he replied, unable to refuse Mizuki's will, as always.

Mizuki got up to go and order some more drinks, leaving him at the table with Kajimoto. This was a dangerous time; when Akazawa wanted to admit everything to him, and wanted to hear a confession in return. That would of course be followed by the both of them running hand in hand out of the bar, and escaping from Mizuki forever - but he'd known Mizuki far too long for that to work. Mizuki was engraved in his soul, he thought, and he wouldn't get rid of him that easily. Besides, Kajimoto was Mizuki's chosen new toy; there was hardly any likelihood of him agreeing to Akazawa's fantasy, anyway.

It was troubling that these thoughts plagued him these days even though he was sober. Kajimoto had gotten under his skin, even farther than Mizuki it seemed; he didn't think about Mizuki before he fell asleep anymore, and didn't think of Mizuki when he was in the bathroom taking care of things - he only thought of Mizuki when Mizuki was smirking at him and talking about making Kajimoto into his toy.

A wave of bitterness crept over him. He looked up from his drink, and rested his eyes on Kajimoto, who was looking around with a curious expression on his face. He'd probably never been to this bar, which had a western theme; it was utterly ridiculous, but the drinks were always good. Akazawa had snuck into this bar many times while he was still underage, right about the time that he had been Mizuki's favorite conquest. He almost wished he could go back to those days, because life had been a lot simpler then.

"He's only using you," Akazawa said. Maybe he'd had more to drink than he thought, if he was starting to be so bold - but no, his glass was still full, he hadn't even taken a sip. He didn't normally speak up against Mizuki like this, but then he'd never wanted anything that Mizuki owned, before. He'd remained by Mizuki's side even after being discarded, had continued to do all that Mizuki asked, even though he no longer got anything in return - not that he'd ever been given anything worthwhile from him, anyway.

"I know," Kajimoto replied, with the tiniest hint of a smile.

"You do?" Akazawa was surprised. He didn't think that anyone could see what was coming until it had already hit them, where Mizuki was concerned. He was very good at whatever he did to make people fall for him; Akazawa still couldn't get over it, even though he had begun to hate Mizuki already. Even now, he still dreamed -

"I've known all along. I don't like to be used," Kajimoto said. "I don't like the way that he does things. I didn't even like him in junior high, and I only met him a few times."

Akazawa had almost forgotten that; Kajimoto had been part of - was it Johsei Shounan- back then. Mizuki had probably gone to check him out in action, and to take notes on him; then, it would have been for tennis. Had he kept his eye on Kajimoto all this time, and only made a move recently? Akazawa had no idea that Mizuki possessed that much patience.

Akazawa must have looked as stunned as he felt, because Kajimoto's smile became wider, more real, more visible. "I wouldn't fall for someone like him. He's fake."

"Then why are you here?" Akazawa couldn't remember being this confused before. There were scenarios dancing around in his mind, colliding with one another, and making his hopes rise and fall at an alarming rate. He couldn't figure out if he was happy, or worried, or angry that Kajimoto had dared to defy Mizuki; the last should have been burned from his mind a long time ago, but the emotion was still there, and he couldn't help it -

"I came partly because he's very persuasive, but mostly because I wanted to see you."

"Me?" It was ridiculous. Akazawa had been attending mostly because Mizuki was persuasive, and he had to obey; but partly because he'd wanted to see Kajimoto - or was it the other way around?

"I enjoy your company," Kajimoto explained.

Akazawa wanted to protest. He wanted to tell Kajimoto that he was only Mizuki's pawn, and that's all that he ever would be. He hadn't been able to get away from Mizuki since junior high, he would be no good to Kajimoto, never be able to stand on his own - but how could he say all of that when Kajimoto was smiling at him like that, looking so charming, so inviting, and confessing that he liked him?

"Mizuki will be furious," Akazawa said, weakly. "He won't like this one bit."

"I'm not really concerned with what Mizuki wants or doesn't want," Kajimoto said.

Akazawa wished he could say the same - Well, why couldn't he? Why should he care about what Mizuki wanted? He'd been bending to Mizuki's will for so long, but what about he himself wanted?

Mizuki was not in love with Kajimoto and his heart wasn't going to be broken if Kajimoto refused him. Mizuki would be angry, and he might even cast Akazawa out of his life, but was that really such a bad thing? Akazawa could live without him, especially if he had Kajimoto there to smile at him like that.

"I enjoy your company, too," Akazawa said, and he could feel a smile forming on his own lips.

Mizuki returned at that moment, holding three glasses. He placed them on the table, and took his seat. He didn't seem to notice what was going on between the other two men; at least, he didn't say anything about it. He propped his chin on his hand, and looked intently at Kajimoto.

"How do you feel about me?" he asked. It didn't matter that Akazawa was present; Mizuki was not shy. Mizuki was very proud of all the things he'd done, and all of the things that he would ever do; Mizuki had pride enough for many men.

The conversation from only moments ago seemed so unreal that Akazawa still waited for Kajimoto to confess his attraction; waited to be sent out of the restaurant into the cold night air, and left to wander around by himself and be forgotten.

"I enjoy getting together like this, but that's about all," Kajimoto said. The words were far away to Akazawa; he paid more attention to the look on Mizuki's face, which was becoming sour already. "I don't think I'll ever be to you what you seem to want me to be, Mizuki."

Akazawa expected Mizuki to throw some kind of tantrum, to yell about how everything had been perfectly planned out, and how Kajimoto should be putty at his fingertips. Mizuki, however, did nothing of the sort; he simply stood, and looked between his two companions, finally noticing the looks on their faces, and the invisible line drawn between them.

"I see," he said, echoing Akazawa's favorite statement. "I can't believe you." This was of course directed at Akazawa, who had apparently never brought Mizuki anything but grief, even though he'd always done everything that Mizuki had ever asked of him. Akazawa was worthless to Mizuki, worthless and yet he'd always needed Mizuki's presence by him -

"All along, behind my back." Mizuki didn't slam his fist on the table, nor did he knock the table over, or make any loud death threats. Mizuki was very calm when he was angry, which was almost worse, because it made Akazawa feel as though something awful was going to come in the future; Mizuki was very good at revenge.

"It's not his fault," Kajimoto said. "I fell for him, first. He didn't want to admit to it. He didn't want you to be angry."

Mizuki glared at Kajimoto for daring to speak out of turn, and then without another word, he turned and stalked out of the bar.

Akazawa felt something in him tear apart. Mizuki probably wasn't going to be there for him anymore, and even if he was, Akazawa was going to have to stop letting him - he had to defy Mizuki from now on, to seize the thing that he wanted most of all, the thing that had finally let him be free, even if he hadn't really wanted to be.

Akazawa wanted to say thank you, but what he said instead was "I don't know what I'll do without him."

Kajimoto seemed to understand; at least, he didn't tell Akazawa to go to hell for saying something like that, after practically agreeing to be with him. Instead, he offered Akazawa comfort; an arm around the shoulders, in something that was almost a hug. Akazawa thought that there might be more than that, later, but this was enough for now. He closed his eyes, and breathed in Kajimoto's scent; something that was far different from Mizuki's - far less fake, not covered by cologne to hide what was underneath.

"You'll be fine," Kajimoto said. "I'll be here."

Akazawa still couldn't say thank you, at least not yet. He found that he could smile, though, and the two of them went to order drinks that they actually liked. They didn't bother to worry about the future just then. Mizuki might try something, certainly, but they would deal with that when the time came. They had much to learn about one another, now that Mizuki wasn't tagging along as a third wheel; that was what was important for the time being.


End file.
